Previously in the 1980s, hydrogen cyanide had been used in trial culls to gas badger setts, which are the animals’ underground dens. However, use of hydrogen cyanide gas was eventually deemed as inhumane and to cause immense suffering in badgers, so was discontinued. Thus a current, proposed alternative to culling by free shooting is to use carbon monoxide to gas badger setts. This method would have a higher effective cull rate compared to free shooting as all the badgers present in the expansive sett would be euthanized through lethal gassing.

Pros?

• More effective in badger cull rate than free-shooting

Cons?

• Welfare of badgers using this method is untested
• Do not know if carbon monoxide gassing would cause more suffering compared to free shooting culls